The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-11-28
waste on western Farms.

That nearly as much is wasted on a
farm in the west rs is raised on one OF
the same size in the east has often been
remarked when farmer from the first.
named region visits this part of the
country. He often sees many acres OF
grass that have not been cut and over
which prairie fires will run. He is SUR
priscd to see the cornstalks in the fall
and winter on the hills where they grew.
the foliage destroyed by the frost and
wind. He knows that these cornstalks
If cut in time and properly cured and
protected are worth as much for feed
ing stock rs the hay that could DO cut
on the same amount Of land. The
waste is painful to him He does not
wonder that the average western farm.
err has hard time when he allows so
much good stock food to go to decay.
He looks over a township and estimates
the value of the corn fodder that has
been wasted ut some $1,000 He multi
plies this sum by the number Of town
ships in the state. and ascertains that
the waste amounts TO tens OF millions
OF dollars. On Ills return home be
writes TO some paper an account OF
what he saw. In h articles he states
that the farmers in the region he visited
could become rich in few years IL they
would practice the methods OF saving
that are common in the eastern states,
where corn fodder is all cut when tn 9
foliage is green. and where the husks
are saved for making mattresses He
notices that other things than corn
stalks and grass are wasted. He OBJ
serves that grain springs up in every
field after harvest because no attempt
was made to collect the stalks that were |
not secured by the harvester. He also
sees that much Of the grain straw 10
burned or allowed to rot.
He forgets the old adage that ''cir-
alter cases" He does not |
take in.o consideration the fact that
there Is not stock enough in that part
Of the country to eat all the grass that
is produced, and that the price Of hay
ma7 not pay the cost Of preparing II
and sending It to market. It does not
occur to him that farmer can cut and
cure four acres of grass easier than he
ran one acre OF cornstalks, and that he
has not time TO secure both grass and
corn fodder before they are killed by
The frost. His stay in the west is so
short that he does not ascertain that
|arm labor is more scarce and expen-
i've than II Is at home; the farm pro-
iucts sell for much less. and that there
. no market for many Of the things
hat command good prices in the east.
On his farm. which Is near large
own. straw and small hay are worth
owing for bedding horses. and com.
nand as high price as timothy hay
loes in Iowa or Nebraska. This being
ne case. he sows them and takes them
O market. though he is obliged 10 hire
lelp to enable him to do the work. He |
,uts. cures. and puts under cover all
he corn-staIks he raises. There may
,e no demand for them in towns, but
hey take the place OF hay in his own
ecding yard. and the hay commands .
.ood price. II will pay him to employ
men 70 rake over grain fields after the
harvester has done its work. II also Il
AVS him 10 use the mandrake in tho
moving field. He would probably find
hat he could not make living wages by |
sing mandrake in grain or grass
eld in many places in the west In
hem the waste Of hay and grain can
My be prevented by greater waste
{ labor and money. II may not pay
D save IL and can not collect enough
b support him. Cleaning Is only
rofitable in countries where grain e (